“Come in, come in.”
Wren has never liked it when people are overly excited to invite someone into their home but steps in quickly anyway and follows Jena up to her dressmakers room on the third floor. Jena explains to her that most of her work is strictly custom and alterations and mostly for a small online community. Wren had a good guess about what online community but didn’t broach the subject. They enter the room and there is her dress proudly on display on the dressmakers dummy. She walks around it amazed at how Jena had managed to return it to a purely white appearance and how the mending of the lace was nearly invisible.
“Well, what do you think?”
“Marvelous! I can’t get over how quickly you were able to do all the repairs and get it so clean.”
“The repairs really weren’t all that bad really especially with taking it up to fit your smaller frame, some of the bad spots simply disappeared in the taking up. As for cleaning a few tricks I learned from my grandma helped with that and besides with my husband out of town until tonight on business I was able to concentrate strictly on your dress.”
At this point Wren’s curiosity is running full speed and she just has to know something for certain about this woman.
“So how is George these days?”
“Oh, pretty good he’s had several promotions over the last couple…How did you know his name is George?”
“You gave me a clue on the phone earlier when you said you were an old friend of my Mom’s.”
“But we never met you, did we? I mean you would have been a kid when I met your Mom.”
“I was, and I knew you though I doubt you ever knew I was around.”
A look of shock crosses Jena’s face as she stares at Wren as she realizes just what she is meaning.
“Don’t worry about it. It was stupid of me to bring it up, I just had to know if you were the same one. I mean after all, how many Jena’s are there in the world?”
“Probably more of me than there are of you.”
They share a laugh and talk a while before Wren tries on her dress. She stares at herself in the mirror turning this way and that as she tries to see herself from every possible angle. She doesn’t know what to think the dress is beautiful but she never expected to see herself in anything like it and so her mind has to adjust to what it is seeing.
“Well Jena what do you think?”
“I think you will be the most beautiful bride I have ever seen.“
“You really think so?”
“Yes I do Mistress Robbins.”
“Jena, that's my Mom’s name.”
“Sorry, Wren, it's kind of a force of habit.”
“I’m sorry too I just never have liked anyone calling me Mistress or Miss but very soon I will be Mrs. James and I won’t have to worry about that anymore.”
Wren puts the dress away and talks with Jena until mid afternoon when she heads back toward home. As she drives along through the light rain she starts thinking through the old wedding rhyme.
“Something old, that would be the gown. Something new, hmm, I have to work on that part. Something borrowed, I can get that from grandma Robbins. Something blue, the blue Celtic cross Dad gave me from his station in England. Something new… The friendship of my mother.”
As she drives she decides that Norman deserves a nice home cooked meal to go with the surprise of her being home this evening and stops to pick up one of his favorite meals along the way even if it does mean she’ll have to cook while holding an umbrella. When she arrives back home she puts her bags in the kitchen and starts to prepare the meat for the grill sprinkling it with garlic, sage and pepper. Taking an umbrella with her she heads out to the deck to light the grill. She is pleased to find the rain slacking off as she steps out the door and even more pleased when the grill lights on the first try. Back inside she starts the oven and sets some rolls up to bake and some green beans to cooking with some dill. As Wren places the pork steaks on the grill she realizes it is now a race against time before Norman arrives home. Having everything going she washes her hands and heads back to the bedroom. Striping off her clothes she slips into her black latex dress and clear sandals then heads back to the deck grabbing a long pair of tongs along the way. A quick turn of the steaks and she heads back into the kitchen. A while later after putting a container of potato salad on the table and setting it. She heads back out to check on the steaks, satisfied they are done. She turns off the grill, takes them back inside and adds them to the table. With dinner done she turns off the lights and watches for Norman out the front window. Predictable as ever he pulls up the driveway not three minutes later. Wren watches him as he crosses the porch carrying a suit bag over one shoulder, his briefcase in his other hand. She pauses just a moment to give him time to get fully in front of the door then pops it open. The evening light streams into the darkened living room and across her shiny curves as she throws her arms around his neck.
“Welcome home lover boy!”
“Well, well, well aren’t you a pleasant surprise. I thought you had to work until seven?”
“Uncle Mike and I had a little talk this morning and he felt I should show you a little more respect and not worry about today or tomorrow. Funny thing is it turns out he seemed to know I was going to quit soon. I actually had to offer him a knuckle sandwich to make him elaborate on how. Now why would my barrister as he puts it be talking to my uncle most everyday for the last two weeks?”
“That’s between us.”
“That’s more or less what got him an offer for a knuckle sandwich. Now would you like to explain in a little more detail or do you need the same offer? And by the way dinner is getting colder the longer you dilly, dally.”
“He has been helping me with choosing a suite for our wedding. I found when I talked to him about asking him if I could marry you that I quite liked him and felt he may have some ideas of what would look traditional with your dress.”
“Now see, was that so hard? But what did you mean about asking if you could marry me?”
“Old tradition if the father is not in a position to grant permission then the eldest living male heir’s consent is asked BEFORE asking the bride to be.”
“Why did you ask uncle Mike and what was his answer?”
“It’s the way I was raised and he said 'Welcome to the twenty-first century, ask her yourself.' Now is the interrogation over so we can eat. I feel absolutely starved.”
“Yes it’s over, I’m sorry it’s just that those questions have been troubling me since this morning.”
Wren heads into the kitchen with Norman following at a slight distance watching her walk when Wren suddenly turns around.
“Oh, one more thing, Like the view?”
“Personally I just can’t make up my mind which is better from the front or the back.”
“Good, just keep looking and try to figure it out for yourself. Myself I prefer what it does to my rear, though the view from the front is enhanced. Darn, I guess I’m not sure either.”
She turns and finishes leading Norman into the kitchen. Where Norman stops and looks at the table a bit puzzled.
“What’s wrong Norman?”
“Barbequed pork steaks, potato salad, and green beans, what’s the special occasion?”
“Just being with you, isn’t that enough?”
Norman sits down and pulls Wren into his lap where she stays while they enjoy their meal as the rain starts to pour down outside.
“So what have you been up to today?”
“Well when I got back home Jena called and said my dress was done so I went and picked it up.”
“I thought it was a rush to have it by tomorrow.”
“Well I asked her about that and she said that Mom was an old friend and she was doing her a favor. Then I remembered why her name was so familiar to me and I asked her how George was doing. Which she answered before she asked me how I knew her husband's name as I would have been a kid at the time and we never met. I simply told her we never met but I was around even if she never saw me.”
“How is that possible?”
“Well you see it’s like this when I was younger Mom used to leave me some nearly impossible chore lists to do while she was out. The problem was that they were near impossible to accomplish and sometimes I just couldn’t finish them, then one night...
'Wren, I am tired of this, every time I leave for any length of time you think it is time to play around and goof off.'
'But Mom, the roaster pan was very stuck and I had to soak it before I could clean it.'
'But what about the other occasions this month? I am tired of this total disregard of my orders. It seems that nothing is going to get through to you so we are going to try something new. Curl up into a ball on the floor arms underneath you.'
I curled up as she told me and she took out a tape measure and started measuring me. When she stood back up she took a piece of paper out and drew a small picture with the measurements written on it.
'Go get in the car.'
We drove to the lumber yard then to the hardware store. We returned home with a sheet of plywood and an assortment of hinges, braces, latches and wood finishing materials.
'Start building what I have drawn for you. I am going to eat dinner.'
I studied the drawing and started measuring and marking the cuts on the board. Then I took out what at this point was the very familiar hand saw and started cutting. When all the pieces were cut I started assembling an oblong wooden box. It was getting dark when Mom came out to the garage and checked my progress.
'Very good. You may stop for the night and come eat some dinner. Then go to bed.'
The next day after school when I was done with my homework, I went straight to the garage and started measuring a line all the way around the box then, taking the saw I carefully cut the box in half. When I was done with the cut I started sanding the box. With finer and finer paper I kept sanding—oh how my arms ached. When Mom came home she checked my progress but said nothing and left me alone in the garage. Several hours later I wiped the dust from the surface and started applying black lacquer to it.
‘I can see you have made some progress, you may eat your dinner.’
Each night I worked on that box applying clear one day, rubbing it down with super fine steel wool the next. Coat after coat this repeated until on Thursday night I was polishing it to a deep glossy shine. By the time Mom got home I was installing the chrome latches, hinges and handle to its surface. Friday I lined it with red velvet that Mom had brought home the night before. When Mom came home the new horror came to life. I was handed a new pair of black tights and a black long sleeved leotard. I went to my room and put them on when I came out, the door to the discipline room was open and there in the middle of the floor sat the box. Mom came in behind me, put the ball gag into my mouth and a set of ear plugs in my ears, then pointed to the box. I climbed into it curling myself into the same shape as I had when she measured me only a little tighter as she apparently designed it to be a snug fit. She moved my hair up onto my back and closed the lid. I found Mom must have made a mistake because the ear plugs didn’t work all that well and I could hear the latches pull to and snap shut. I counted each one as she went, one, two, three, until all six were latched shut. Then there was the sound of a padlock. I was terrified and completely at her mercy. Though my hands were free they were effectively secured in place by my own body and would have done me no good anyway as the latches were on the outside.
Then the strangest feeling I had ever felt came over me as she picked up the box and started moving with it. The feeling was really creepy and disorienting to feel the box sway as she walked, it was as if I was and wasn’t there. I heard a door open and shut then I heard the trunk of her car open and felt myself set down inside and the lid slam shut. I could feel the box slide from side to side as she drove who knew where.
When she stopped I heard the trunk open and that weird free floating feeling came over me again. I could hear the lid shut and I could hear the heavy clunk of Mom's shoes as she was obviously walking across pavement. A door faintly squeaked open and shut. I could smell the scent of cigarettes through the small metal great in the bottom of the box. I could hear people talking and carrying on, the sound of glasses and silverware clinking. Someone called to her and I could hear and feel her step quicken.
‘So nice to see you again George, I assume this is your new girl.’
‘Yes it is, this is Jena. Jena, this is Mistress Robbins, the lady I was telling you about.’
‘I am pleased to meet you, Miss Robbins.’
‘I see what you mean George, she does not behave at all properly. I wonder if she really understands what it is you expect from her? Do you dear?’
‘Yes I do and I am willing to learn to do it, to the best of my abilities.’
‘First you will learn to do everything the exact way you are told, taught and trained. Second, you will learn to do it quickly or suffer as you learn. For starters you should not be pleased to meet me. I am the one that others call when they are too soft on a new person in their life and can not train them on their own. Your first lesson from me is that you do not speak unless spoken to.’
‘Yes Miss Robbins.’
I could hear a loud smacking sound.
‘Now you have an idea what I mean by learning quickly my dear and I am not Miss Robbins you may call me Mistress and that is all.’
‘Now Maggie, what are your fees going to be?’
‘If we stick to the standard routine of two evenings a week I think six-hundred a week should be sufficient.’
The entire evening went on like that. I know I wasn’t supposed to hear what went on but I did. I never knew what Mom did on Friday and Saturday nights and I really wished I had never learned. She was such a hypocrite don’t have sex out of marriage and yet…Ooo… I don’t even want to remember anymore of it.”
“You know that reminds me of something I found in the paper this morning.”
“What’s that?”
“Here let me up and I’ll show you.”
Norman heads off to the living room and returns with the paper.
“Small headline but still managed the front page.”
“Girl escapes abduction! Naomi Lynn fourteen of west county was abducted Friday afternoon on her way home from school.
“A man with a gun stopped me and told me to get in his truck. I didn’t know what else to do, so I got in the back seat like he told me to. He drove off then as he went he gave me a pill and said to take it and relax. I put the pill in my cheek and when I went to drink the water he gave me it burned like fire in my throat. After a while I acted like I was asleep and stayed that way until he stopped. I watched him put gas in the truck and when he went in to pay I got out and went into the restaurant. I told the lady at the counter what had happened and she called her boss. I saw the man’s truck leave before the lady’s boss came back. I told him everything and even showed him the pill, he gave me a glass for the pill and called the police and my Mom. He was really nice and even let me eat dinner off of the buffet while I waited for my Mom.”
Naomi was reunited with her mother Amanda at the Iron Skillet in Kingdom city. Police are on the lookout for a red Ford Ranger extended cab truck being driven by a man between five foot five and five foot ten, medium build, light brown skin, and reddish brown hair, last seen wearing faded blue jeans, a gray button up shirt and a Cardinals baseball cap. Unfortunately the plates on the vehicle turned out to be stolen so there is no reliable plate number.”
“I know who that is.”
“Who?”
“It’s one of my marks, here I’ll show you.”
Wren leaves and returns with the laptop and pulls up the file and turns it to face Norman.”
“Thatcher, Jimmy member since November 18, 2001, Address 6925 Ravenscroft Dr. St. Louis 63123. Birthday November 16, 1983, height five foot eight, eye color hazel hair color reddish brown, weight one hundred eighty pounds, complexion light brown, car 1989 Ford Ranger extended cab Red with a black interior, employer: 2nd shift night watchman, personal preferences none, other interests obsessed with cheesecake.
This guy did keep track of everything, didn't he?”
“Yea, some of the entries are a little weird but useful nonetheless.”
Wren gets up from the table and starts out of the room.
“Where are you off to?”
“I have work to do.”
Wren heads back to the bedroom with Norman close on her heels. She reaches into the closet and pulls out what Norman had named her superhero suit. Laying it out on the bed she starts removing her dress and is standing before him in nothing but her sandals and soon they too are gone.
“The predator is getting ready to prowl isn’t she?”
“Yes”
Wren powders her entire body then slips her left leg into the suit drawing the foot of the suit tight with her own then follows with her right. Norman comes up behind her and helps her get the rest of the way into it. They slip in her arms then her head and he zips her in tight. He hands her, her climbing shoes and once they are on he wipes her off with a rag then she heads to the basement. Once at her hiding place she straps on the hip holster and the jacket gun then picks up the back pack and heads to the garage. There she packs her bag with an assortment of tools from above the workbench. When she turns around she finds Norman leaning against her car, black trench coat and black rubber boots on and a shotgun resting in the crook of his left arm, his right hand holding the stock.
“What are you up to?”
“You need a driver.”
“I need a driver? Norman, I don't want you to be involved.”
“I am your husband so I’m already involved. Besides you can’t drive around like that, you're too suspicious looking and this way you don’t have to hide the car.”
“Good point, but I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“If you get hurt or heaven forbid killed don’t you think that would hurt me? No either I drive or you and the Predator part ways.”
“You're right no matter what, I end up hurting you with this. Let’s get this over with then but leave the gun here.”
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